


Wild Things

by the lady of shalott (astolat)



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Dinosaurs, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 1998-04-29
Updated: 1998-04-29
Packaged: 2017-11-25 12:14:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/638803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astolat/pseuds/the%20lady%20of%20shalott
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim and Blair get marooned in an unfortunate location.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wild Things

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to Nicol for the Spanish!

Blair trudged out of the clinging waves and flung himself face down onto the white sands, panting for breath. A canvas knapsack was dumped on the ground near his head, then Jim dropped down beside him, also breathing heavily, dripping salt water. After a few moments, Blair rolled over and pushed the sodden mass of his hair out of his eyes, looking ruefully out at the endless blue of the ocean, where not even ripples were left to mark the untimely grave of their boat. "So now what?" he asked. 

Wearily, Jim lifted his head and listened intently. "Damn. I can hear a motor. Sounds like they're coming around the coastline." He pushed up to his feet and heaved the knapsack to his back. "Come on, Chief. We'd better get further inland and get out of sight." 

Blair accepted Jim's outstretched hand and pulled himself up with the help. "How long did Simon say it would take him to get that copter down here?" 

"Not until tomorrow afternoon at the earliest," Jim responded, his voice abstracted as he selected a path into the undergrowth and led them into the island's interior. 

"Well, with your Sentinel abilities, we shouldn't have too much trouble avoiding Juarez and his goons until the cavalry arrives," Blair consoled himself. 

They trekked onward, pushing through heavy ferns and lush greenery. The heat intensified as the sun rose higher, and they were both dripping sweat before they had walked for more than ten minutes. Both of them soon peeled off their shirts, trusting to the shading greenery to protect them from the sun. Jim ripped part of his shirttails off to tie over his head and keep the sweat out of his eyes. Suffering under the weight of his hair, Blair finally managed to get it off his neck by braiding it and tying the ragged result up into a makeshift knot with one of his hair ties. 

Jim paused frequently to listen, head cocked as his senses reached out for signs of pursuit. After the fourth stop, Blair leaned against a tree trunk and wiped sweat from his forehead. "What are you hearing? Are they coming after us?" 

Jim shook his head, frowning. "I hear something, but... What kinds of animals are there around here?" 

Raising his eyebrows, Blair spread his hands in some puzzlement. "Um, snakes, lizards, birds... this island's a little far from the mainland for any large animals, but maybe crocodiles or jaguars?" 

"Maybe it's crocs. Weird noises, kind of a growling." 

Blair made a face. "Great, now we have to worry about the wildlife on top of the bad guys." 

"I don't think a crocodile's going to come after us with a machine gun." Jim beckoned. "Come on, let's keep moving." 

Blair followed, although he argued as they went, "Listen, maybe we should find a quiet spot somewhere and hole up. We've got to be making a lot of noise crashing around like this, and whether we're worrying about the things that want to shoot us or the things that want to eat us, I think it would just generally be a good idea to not be found, you know?" 

"I'm way ahead of you, Chief," Jim said, raising his head to scent the air. "This way." 

"Why that way?" 

"I smell water," came the answer. "Not too far." 

"Great," Blair sighed gratefully. "I could use a drink." 

Pushing aside branches, Jim said over his shoulder, "You could use a bath, too." 

"Hey, you're no bed of roses at the moment either," Blair poked Jim lightly in the back. 

Grinning, Jim tossed back, "Which one of us has the enhanced senses here, Chief?" 

"Well, if there's enough water to take a dip, I'm not going to complain. As long as there aren't any crocodiles in it." 

Then the vines broke apart in front of them, opening on the edge of a rocky grotto. A sparkling waterfall tumbled past smoothed basalt to send frothy ripples chasing each other across the surface of a clear pool. Dark green vines climbed over the black rock face, their enormous blossoms like splashes of luminous color. 

"Man, you can sure pick your hideouts," Blair said happily, already stripping off the rest of his clothing. 

Jim smiled in satisfaction, then knelt down by the edge and cupped a handful of the cold, clear water, drinking thirstily. "Tastes fresh." Standing up, he eased the pack off his shoulders. "Here, toss this up over that branch," he directed, handing Blair the bag. "I don't want to take chances with that film getting wet." 

Nodding, Blair hopped up onto the crushed length of a fallen tree trunk and stretched up to hang the small canvas sack over the highest branch he could reach. "Even if some of it doesn't come out," he said, climbing back down, "there's so much evidence in there that we'll be able to totally shut down Juarez's operation in Cascade. We might even be able to get the Nicaraguan government to prosecute him." 

"Don't hold your breath," Jim advised cynically, testing out the temperature of the water with a foot. "If they were willing to go after him, we wouldn't have had to come down here in the first place." He took off the rest of his sweat-soaked clothes, stretching briefly to enjoy the hot sunlight bathing his naked skin, rippling over his muscles with golden warmth. 

Blair was more concerned with getting into the water, unceremoniously dumping his clothes and shoes in a pile by the edge. Jim had to fling up an arm to shield his face as Blair ran past him and cannonballed into the water. "Hey!" 

Blair surfaced, grinning, and splashed water his way. "Come on, man, this is great." 

"You're the one who's always complaining about the cold," Jim muttered, edging further in. 

"You get used to it faster if you just jump in." 

Giving in, Jim dived cleanly into the water, knifing across the pool in a few quick laps of freestroke until a hand on his ankle pulled him spluttering underwater. He retaliated immediately, grabbing Blair by the waist and ducking him thoroughly despite the younger man's squirming attempts to get free. 

Hooking a leg around Jim's knees, Blair managed to pull him off balance. They splashed down together, tangled up and laughing. Panting a little, they surfaced apart and lazily drifted around the pool, enjoying the welcome release after weeks of tension and danger. "Man, this place is beautiful," Blair said, floating on his back and gazing around at the lush greenery surrounding the pool, his hair fanning out over the surface. "Think that we could convince Simon to leave us here for a week or two after he picks up the evidence?" 

"Worth a shot," Jim grinned, then swam to the waist-deep end of the pool and listened again for any signs of pursuit. 

Blair swam up behind him, resting a hand on his partner's bare shoulder. "Anything?" 

Grimacing, Jim shook his head again. "I can't filter out the other noises, those growls," he complained, frustrated. 

"Well, let's try another sense -- like smell. Try and--whoa!" Blair steadied Jim by the shoulders as he started coughing and hacking, covering his nose and mouth with a nauseated expression. "Are you okay?" 

"God, that smell! Horrible!" Jim's voice sounded congested, as if he were trying not to breathe. 

"Come on, big guy, dial it down, okay?" Blair rubbed his back comfortingly until the spasms died down. "Better?" When Jim nodded, Blair continued, "Let's try and focus your sense of hearing in the same direction, the way we've done it before with your sight and hearing." 

"Right," Jim said, straightening up. His eyes grew slightly unfocused as he concentrated on his hearing. 

The loud click on the far side of the pool distracted Blair from watching Jim. He turned and swallowed grimly as he faced the three men levelling heavy rifles towards them. 

"Out of the water," one of them sneered. "Get over here." 

Blair quickly raised his hands and looked over at Jim to nudge him out of his focus. "Jim? Come on, we'd better do what they say," he muttered. 

Jim was staring into the jungle beyond the three men, his eyes dilating as they tried to pierce the shadows of the undergrowth. "Don't move," he said suddenly, reaching out to hold Blair back as the younger man made to obey their captors' order. 

"Huh? Uh, Jim--" 

"It's coming," the Sentinel reported tersely. "Don't go over there." 

"What's coming? What is it?" Blair stared at the trees in confusion. 

"I don't know, but it's big." 

The gang members were growing impatient. "Your stupid stories don't fool anyone, American." The man in the lead raised his gun and fired a round off over their heads threateningly. "Get over here, or--" 

They all heard it then, the sound of cracking branches, and felt the sudden tremor in the ground. The three men on the far shore turned around as the trees behind them fractured and yawned apart to reveal something out of a late-night horror movie. Gaping open-mouthed, Blair watched in paralyzed shock while the criminals screamed and started running away from the trees. Jim yanked him off his feet and pulled him back into the pool, holding him low in the water. 

The tyrannosaur snatched one of the fleeing thugs in a startlingly quick lunge, jaws snapping closed over the torso. With a curiously graceful lift, the heavy head rose into the air and flung back to swallow the still-kicking legs as well. 

"Oh my God," Blair choked in sick tones, his eyes so wide they were ringed by white. 

"Come on," Jim hissed as the monstrous animal turned to grab for another screaming victim, while the third man, still fully-clothed, started frantically thrashing into the water. Keeping their heads just above the waterline, they swam slowly towards the waterfall and then behind the crystalline spray. 

Jim found a small ledge in the narrow crevasse and pulled Blair up onto it with him. They huddled together, squeezing as deeply into the opening as they could. Blair winced as the muffled shrieks outside abruptly cut off and instinctively pressed closer to Jim, curling an arm around the taller man's waist. 

Wrapping his arms around Blair, Jim drew him closer still. "Hold on," he warned grimly. "It's coming into the water." 

"Oh God." 

The nook suddenly went dark as a heavy shadow blocked the sunlight filtering in through the water. Blair closed his eyes and tucked his head against Jim's chest as the saw-toothed muzzle broke through the curtain of the falls, nostrils larger than his fist flaring wide. The rank scent of blood and rotting flesh wafted over them sickeningly. 

Gagging, Jim started to lose his hold on the rock as a coughing fit shook his body. Trying to keep hysteria out of his voice, Blair splayed his hands over Jim's back. "Come on, Jim, filter out the smell. Focus on another scent, let that block out everything else." 

Jim buried his face in Blair's wet hair, inhaling deeply of the familiar scent of his Guide, and let that smell dominate his senses even as the nightmare mouth loomed closer, rows of serrated teeth snapping shut futilely half a foot away from them. He tightened his grip on Blair until he could feel their hearts racing together, pounding against his chest from both sides. The wet curls covering Blair's chest clung to his skin as they pressed together, another sensation to focus on. 

After another few moments, the hideous mouth withdrew, then the shadow gradually melted away. Heavy footfalls made their translucent shield waver in the sunlight for several more minutes, then finally, finally, even Jim could no longer hear the last echoes of the dinosaur's presence. 

Shaking in reaction, they leaned heavily on each other as they staggered out of the pool, carefully not looking towards the far shore. They pulled their clothes on over wet skin, shivering with cold despite the still-blazing sun overhead. Blair sank to the ground and leaned over, rubbing his stomach to settle the queasy shudders passing through him. 

Jim numbly climbed up on the log and pulled down the knapsack, finding it hard to care much about the contents but operating on reflex. He jumped down, the shock of landing ringing through his bones, and walked a little unsteadily over to Blair before crouching down. "You all right?" he asked, hands kneading the tightly-drawn tendons in Blair's neck, wanting the reassurance of physical contact with his guide's warm \-- living! safe! -- body. 

Blair gladly leaned into the touch, his ragged breathing finally calming. "I don't think my heart is ever going to be the same, but all of me is still here," he mumbled. 

"Where the hell did that thing come from?" Jim wondered aloud. 

Gesturing over at the far shore, Blair said, "Well, I don't know how it got here, but it's not alone." Jim turned to look and saw a pack of about ten small, lizardlike creatures scampering over the ground, picking at what the tyrannosaur had left behind. "See the way those things move? Those are definitely not lizards. I think they're another kind of dinosaur." 

"Yeah, scavengers," Jim said, forcing himself to stand back up. "And the bigger ones will be coming once they get a whiff of the blood. We need to get away from here, get someplace downwind where I'll be able to sense them coming." 

"I am down with that, man." Blair scrambled up, natural resilience feeding him fresh energy. "Let's get out of here." 

* * *

By the time the daylight began to fade, they had worked their way up a jagged hill overlooking a peaceful-looking valley and found a small cave in the rock for shelter. Blair pulled out his swiss army knife and started hacking off some nearby leafy ferns, piling them over the cavern floor as padding and making a heap to serve them as a bed. Once he'd gotten enough for comfort, he collected tinder and dug a small firepit in the dirt floor. 

In the meantime, Jim had followed his nose to a nearby nest, filled with oblong eggs, which had evidently been uncovered by a recent storm. Many of the shells were already cracked, obviously victims of small predators, but he found four intact ones to carry back to the camp, along with an assortment of berries that he recognized as edible from his days with the Chopec. Blair looked up welcomingly as he ducked into the cramped hollow. They buried the eggs in the pit and lit the fire, settling down to wait for them to bake. 

The valley outside was full of unusually tall trees, slender and crowned with lush growth. A large lake swelled at the north end, and Jim now realized that some of the large shadows he'd taken for distant hills were actually more dinosaurs, moving through the shallow water and feeding on the upper leaves. "Jesus," he muttered. "Those things are bigger than houses." 

"This seriously feels like we've just gotten dumped into 'The Land of The Lost.'" Blair scooted over towards him, nestling close out of instinct. 

Jim put his arm around his partner's shoulders, rubbing Blair's arm comfortingly. "We'll be out of here by tomorrow, Chief. And then we can figure out what the hell is going on here." 

"I just don't see how this could happen. I mean, look at those things," Blair gestured towards the slow-moving brontosaurs. "They're huge! I don't think this island is really big enough to support them naturally." 

"Considering that dinosaurs have been extinct for millions of years, I don't think anything about their being here is natural." Jim shook his head. 

"Maybe some kind of government experiment." 

"Well, whatever the reason is, we can deal with it once we're safe and this evidence is too," Jim said firmly. He looked up at the sky. "I think it's going to rain soon. That should keep Juarez from coming after us here." 

"Think it'll keep the dinosaurs from doing the same? 'Cause if I had to pick, I think I'd rather get caught by Juarez. At least we could try to talk him out of killing us." 

Jim chuckled softly in response. 

Soon after, they rolled the cooked eggs out of the fire and cracked the shells open with rocks. "So how is Simon going to find us tomorrow?" Blair mumbled between mouthfuls. 

A loud crack of thunder punctuated his question, making them both jump. A moment later, the skies opened and it became impossible to see anything besides a silver-grey curtain of water outside the cavern. Shaking his head, Jim answered, "I've got a couple of flares in the bag. That valley looks flat enough to land in, so when we hear the chopper getting close, we'll move down there and fire off the flares." 

"And hope Simon finds us first." 

Jim tilted his head with a sardonic smile. "You got it." He pulled an empty water bottle out of the knapsack and held it out in the rain for a few minutes. They shared the cool water in silence, looking out at the downpour. As the fire died down, Blair covered the pile of ferns with their jackets and settled down to try and sleep. Jim banked the fire and joined him, lying down with his back pressed to Blair's. Sleep overtook them quickly. 

A faint tremor through the ground woke Jim sometime in the hours before dawn. He half-rose from the warmth of the makeshift bed and peered out of the cave. The group of brontosaurs was moving through the valley, their long necks swaying slightly as they passed by the mouth of the cave. Blair stirred at his side and rolled over, propping himself up sleepily. 

"Wow," he said softly, awe keeping his voice soft. "Hard to believe we're really seeing this." 

Jim nodded and lowered himself back down, pressing closer to Blair as they watched the procession go past them. Blair nestled back against his chest, seeking out the warmth his body offered against the pre-sunrise chill of the air. Without thinking, he put an arm around the smaller body tucked against his own, reaching again for the confirmation of Blair's safety. 

Surprised a little, Blair turned his face up to look at Jim, a question in his eyes. They both held very still for a moment, hearts suddenly racing. Then Jim lowered his head just a little, clumsily, and Blair stretched up just a little, and their lips softly met. Blair parted his after a moment, tongue tip slipping out to brush lightly over Jim's mouth. Easing them both down, Jim took the flickering tongue deeply into his mouth as he shifted to rest over Blair, gathering the lithe body more securely into his arms. 

Adrenaline-fueled, they rubbed against each other with more enthusiasm than skill, hands squirming into rumpled clothes to taste warm skin, breath quickening with arousal. Blair managed to get his jeans open, then worked Jim's khakis down while the older man lavished attention on his neck. He spared a moment to lick his palm, then reached down and gripped Jim's cock in his hand, pulling it firmly against his own. 

Jim gave a muffled gasp into Blair's mouth, then started frantically tearing at their remaining garments until he had Blair's chest bared. His hips thrusting forward involuntarily as Blair worked their shafts, he wetted his thumb and forefinger with a quick swipe of his tongue, then took hold of one nipple, tugging and pinching the soft red flesh until it flushed and peaked under his hand. Blair moaned and squeezed their cocks together, slowly pumping up and down the hard, reddened lengths. 

His control going, Blair let go and clung to Jim, legs wrapping around the strong thighs, arms embracing the muscled torso. They rocked back and forth in a quickening rhythm, bodies tangling up until the sweet rush of climax swept over them. They lay gasping in a heap of trembling limbs, a little shocked by how quickly everything had happened. Jim pushed himself up a little, staring down at Blair's flushed and sated expression. 

"Bien, bien, mira lo que hemos encontrado." The voice suddenly jerked their attention to the mouth of the cave. Delgado, Juarez's first lieutenant, stood blocking the first rays of sunlight, flanked by five armed men, all of whom were eying the entwined pair with varying sneers of disgust and malicious delight at their position. "Una pareja de maricones entrometidos." 

Jim shifted his weight, trying to shield Blair from their smirking stares, cursing himself a dozen ways for letting his watchful concentration falter. His eyes darted briefly towards the knapsack and its precious cargo. He felt a soothing touch on his back and gave Blair a quick, grateful glance, full of regret for the things he'd never get to say now. The warm blue eyes that met his own told him that Blair already knew. 

"Get up and put your pants on, chupadores," Delgado ordered. "Juarez wants to see you taken care of personally. And then maybe we'll send some of your pieces back home." He walked over to the bag and picked it up, tossing it to one of the other men. He stared down at the two of them with a twisted smile as they grimly pulled their clothes back on and rose from the impromptu bed. 

One of the men stepped forward and spat at them, "Hijos de puta! Que an hecho con mi hermano?" 

Jim heard Blair's heart speed up slightly. The young man then answered slowly, "No hemos visto a nadie an esta isla fuera de ustedes." He murmured to Jim, "He was asking what happened to his brother, so I explained that we haven't seen anyone else here but them." 

Nodding slowly, Jim immediately saw the possible advantage if Delgado and his men hadn't discovered the presence of the dinosaurs yet. But before he could start coming up with a plan, he and Blair were unceremoniously shoved out of the cave. They trudged downhill, the guns trained on them at all times, and found themselves herded into the heavy jungle. As they marched through the dim green shadows of the trees, Jim stretched out his senses, trying to pick up some trace of the creatures. The stench of fresh droppings assailed his nostrils almost immediately, just a little way off to the side, and he could hear odd little creeling noises. 

Blair noticed his distraction and unobtrusively laid a hand on Jim's elbow to guide him over the uneven path. With the grounding of Blair's touch, Jim felt his vision merge with his hearing and arrow through the undergrowth to focus on another dinosaur, the one making the noises -- and he realized that it was a baby. Experimentally, he loudly coughed, trying to imitate the sound, and was rewarded by the faint tremor of heavy steps turning his way. He flung himself into a coughing fit, leaning heavily on Blair, and felt the steps begin to quicken. 

He had time to whisper a soft "Get ready" to Blair, then the trees were shattering before the angry charge of a stegosaur, its spiky tail lashing the air. The two of them took advantage of the thugs' shock and distraction to dash into the trees, away from the thundering creature and the scrambling men trying to avoid being smashed flat. "Come on, this way," Jim panted, then led them in a zigzagging path. 

"Are they still after us?" Blair gasped out as they ran. 

"Yeah -- that thing lost interest pretty quick." Then Jim halted abruptly. "Oh damn," he swore. "The pack. Delgado still has all the evidence." He turned and stared back the way they'd come, hands clenched. 

"Jim, he also has five guys with guns with him." Blair hovered next to him, bouncing on his heels and ready to keep running. 

Jim scented the air once again, then led Blair over to a tree with low-hanging branches. "Get on up," he ordered. "I can smell some predators in the area -- if we get up high and imitate the sound of that baby again, we may be able to get them to come by here." 

Blair's face went a little green. "Jim, you're talking about making those guys the blue plate special for something like that tyrannosaur." 

Gripping Blair's shoulder and nudging him up into the branches, Jim snapped, "Look, Chief, in case you hadn't noticed, they're out to kill us. Besides, the dinosaurs will probably be kinder than Juarez if they lose us." 

Still reluctant, Blair started climbing, Jim scrambling up right after him. They settled in the crook of two large branches more than twenty feet above the forest floor, and Jim cupped his hands around his mouth to imitate the baby dinosaur's cry again. Only a few minutes later, the bushes shivered with the approach of a smaller dinosaur perhaps six feet tall, moving with sleek and deadly grace despite the heavy sickle-shaped claws on its feet. It lifted its head and fixed them with a basilisk stare that seemed far too intelligent for comfort, then its head swiveled back down and away as the sounds of their pursuers became audible in the distance. 

Jim instinctively reached out and gathered Blair close as the animal melted back into the undergrowth, eyes narrowing as he caught sight of Delgado and his men through the trees. "They're heading this way," he reported tightly. But just before the group would have broken into the clearing, a sharp cry rose from the man in the rear, and the others turned around to find him writhing on the ground, entrails spilling from a gaping slash across his stomach. 

Blair closed his eyes and pulled Jim's head down away from the gruesome scene as several more of the raptors leapt out onto the thugs, taking them by surprise. Gunfire rattled through the air briefly, then there was nothing but the heavy, raw scent of blood and the wet noises of teeth rending flesh. When the raptors had finished their meal, they stopped by the base of the tree trunk, eyeing the partners hungrily. One of them tried to climb into the tree, claws digging huge gouges in the trunk, but the bark of the tree peeled away under its weight, dumping it flat on its back in the middle of the pack. The largest raptor evidently decided that they'd had enough food and let loose a shrieking cry. The rest of the pack fell in behind the leader and disappeared into the trees. 

When several minutes had passed, they climbed down the tree. "Stay here," Jim ordered when they reached the ground. Taking a deep breath, he made his way over to the site of the carnage, trying hard not to look at the messy remains, and gingerly lifted out the bloodsoaked knapsack, which was a little torn but not completely ruined. Holding it at arm's length, he worked it open and pulled out the film canisters and the flares before dropping it back to the ground. 

* * *

Simon waved at them from the copter opening as it descended to the ground, grinning. The grin faded from his face as he took in their exhausted and disheveled appearance and the blood staining their clothing. "Jesus! What the hell happened to you two?" 

"It's a long story," Jim said wearily, handing Simon the film canisters. 

"Can we get out of here _now_?" Blair asked a little plaintively. 

Simon stood aside from the entrance and let them both climb inside, watching in puzzlement as the two of them snuggled up together on the back seat. Already yawning, Blair grabbed a blanket from beneath the seat and wrapped it around them both, and the two of them drifted off to sleep, leaving behind Isla Nublar and its mysterious inhabitants. 

**Author's Note:**

> Translations:
>     
>     
>     Bien, bien, mira lo que hemos             -- Well, just look what we 
>       encontrado.                                found here.
>     Una pareja de maricones entrometidos.     -- A couple of snooping fags.
>     chupadores                                -- cocksuckers
>     hijos de puta                             -- sons of whores
>     Que an hecho con mi hermano?              -- What have you done with my
>                                                  brother?
>     No hemos visto a nadie an esta isla       -- We haven't seen anyone on
>       fuera de ustedes.                          this island except for all 
>                                                  of you.
>                                   
>     


End file.
